A pioneering dementia nurse consultant who has spent more than half a century caring for patients in the NHS is retiring at the end of March.
Lorraine Burgess, who lives in Heaton Mersey, Stockport, is stepping down from her role as lead dementia nurse consultant at The Christie after a remarkable 51-year career in healthcare, including the past 14 years helping transform support for cancer patients at The Christie who are living with dementia.
Lorraine first joined the NHS in 1975 as an 18-year-old and a young mum, starting work as a part-time evening domestic assistant at Withington Hospital before training as a nurse and building a career dedicated to improving care for older people.
Over the decades that followed, Lorraine became one of the country’s leading voices in dementia care. Her work has focused on supporting people living with dementia while also helping healthcare professionals understand the complex needs of these patients and their families.
She joined The Christie in 2013 in a pioneering role when she became the UK’s first Macmillan dementia nurse consultant working within a specialist cancer centre.
The unique position was created to support the growing number of people diagnosed with both cancer and dementia, ensuring they receive appropriate treatment and care throughout their cancer journey.
In the role, Lorraine worked alongside cancer specialists to help them better understand the needs of patients with dementia, while also supporting families and carers who were navigating both diagnoses at the same time.
She also worked closely with healthcare professionals in the community on complex cases involving both dementia and cancer, while delivering education and training to help improve dementia awareness across the organisation.
Lorraine’s leadership helped shape The Christie’s approach to dementia care, including developing dementia champions across wards and departments and working with teams across the hospital to make the environment more dementia friendly.
Her dedication to patient-centred care has been recognised nationally and internationally throughout her career.
In 2014, Lorraine was named Nurse of the Year at the prestigious Nursing Times Awards, recognising her decades of work improving dementia care.
Reflecting on the honour at the time, Lorraine said the award recognised a career dedicated to supporting patients and their families.
“I feel truly honoured to have received this award. It has to be one of the proudest moments and achievements in my nursing career,” she said.
“Patients and their carers are at the heart of the care we provide. I feel valued, supported and listened to by my colleagues, which gives me the opportunity to develop my skills and turn ideas into actions.”
Her work has also been recognised internationally. In 2015 Lorraine was shortlisted as one of six finalists for Dementia Leader of the Year at the International Dementia Awards, recognising the impact of her work supporting cancer patients living with dementia alongside also gaining the title of Queen’s Nurse.
Over the past decade Lorraine has helped develop specialist services at The Christie to support people with dementia through cancer treatment, ensuring they are able to access life-saving care safely and with the right support in place.
Her work has had a direct impact on patients and families.
One recent example involved 82-year-old Mary Bruce, who was living with dementia when she was diagnosed with skin cancer. With Lorraine’s support and coordination between clinical teams, Mary was able to successfully undergo two operations to treat her cancer.
Mary’s daughter, Marie Leonard, said the guidance and reassurance Lorraine provided made an enormous difference during a difficult time.
“Lorraine sorted everything I needed to help me get Mum through the surgery and to recover afterwards,” she said.
“She was there to support me through the experience and gave me practical advice on how to help Mum relax. I honestly don’t think Mum or I could have got through the surgery without that help.”
Throughout her career Lorraine has remained passionate about working with older people and those living with dementia, something she traces back to her childhood.
“Having been brought up by my grandparents, I have huge admiration for older people,” she said previously.
“They inspired me throughout my professional and personal life, and my role has always been about ensuring a better quality of life for people dealing with cancer and dementia, whether that is patients or carers.”
Lorna Brown, Deputy Divisional Head of Nursing at The Christie who manages Lorraine says her impact on patients, families and colleagues has been immense.
“Lorraine has been an incredible advocate for patients living with dementia throughout her entire career. Her compassion, knowledge and determination have helped transform the way we support some of our most vulnerable patients at The Christie.
“She has not only improved the care patients receive but also inspired and educated countless colleagues across the organisation. Lorraine leaves behind a lasting legacy in the services she has helped build and the many people she has supported over the years - patients, families and healthcare professionals. We will miss her enormously and wish her a very happy and well-deserved retirement after such a remarkable career.”
After more than 5 decades in the NHS, Lorraine says she is proud to have spent her career supporting some of the most vulnerable patients and helping improve care for people living with dementia.